Terms of Service

Land Surveyors United Community Guidelines and Policy

Land Surveyors United Community is committed to transparency and integrity and when you sign up you must agree to the following terms of service and pledge to abide by the following simple guidelines.

First Guideline-Member Conduct

Feel free to share anything that is on your mind, as long as it isn't meant to damage another member's reputation. Please keep it clean and help insure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of being part of a community that grows together. We are committed to allowing freedom of expression for all of our members, and that includes maintaining a safe space for people with opposing views to express themselves. We get posts from all over the country and even the globe, so needless to say, people come with different viewpoints on lad surveying practices and processes. We see this diversity and variety as a real strength-- dialogue and debate are an integral part of the educational process, as well as an important tool in exploring different sides of complex issues.

Second Guideline-Selling Merchandise on LSU

Although selling surveying merchandise on LSU is not prohibited, you must first get written permission from the administrator before doing so. Due to the fact that we will soon begin user submitted advertising on the network, we must be fair to those advertisers by limiting the amount of member submitted promotions of products and services. Members who sell merchandise using Land Surveyors United as a platform for sales should consider making a donation to Justin the administrator of the network in order to help with the monthly fees associated with staying alive as a community. The classifieds section of the site must not be abused in any way-as it is intended for members who would like to offer thier used equipment and services to other LSU members.

Third Guideline- Uploading Media to LSU

As an exclusively all land surveying related network, it is important to the integrity of the group that all media which is uploaded ans sharesd through Land Surveyors United be strictly surveying related. The forums on LSU are here to be used as much for finding help with problems in the field as the are for you to express your opinions on anything that has to do with land surveying in general. Feel free to share anything that is on your mind, as long as it isn't meant to damage another member's reputation. Please keep it clean and help insure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of being part of a community that grows together. We are committed to allowing freedom of expression for all of our members, and that includes maintaining a safe space for people with opposing views to express themselves. We get posts from all over the country and even the globe, so needless to say, people come with different viewpoints on lad surveying practices and processes. We see this diversity and variety as a real strength-- dialogue and debate are an integral part of the educational process, as well as an important tool in exploring different sides of complex issues. So again, members should keep all photo and video uploads to be exclusively land surveying related- ex. pictures from the field or other surveying related scenerios. Of course we all appreciate the pictures of your cat or your nextdoor neighbor in his halloween costume, but for our purposes here, lets upload media which is both helpful and relevant to the group. Everyone has a camera phone these days, show us where you work!

Fourth Guideline- Be Yourself!

Needless to say, do not ever impersonate another person or entity on Land Surveyors United. This community is built exclusively for professional land surveyors and students to learn from and share. Impersonation will get you suspended (without pay) from the group. So by all means, be yourself! Share what you know and I will make sure that no one ever operates under false pretenses in this network. DO connect with other surveyors and offer support and ask for support. DO NOT attempt to connect with members on LSU for the sole purpose of sending out blasted emails to many people at once promoting your agenda. Sending the same email to hundreds of "friends" makes you appear dis-genuine and more importantly may get you banned from the network as most of us do not like receiving unsolicited emails from people that we hardly know.

Trust

One of the guiding principles here on Land Surveyors United is trust in each other. The main page of landsurveyorsunited.com can be added to by almost every surveyor that has signed up, as there is very little editing or deleting going on.Every surveyor on the network has the ability to post a comment in a thread, and say whatever they feel.

I give you the ability to do this because I trust you. I trust that you'll act in a civilized and professional manner, that you'll treat others with opposing viewpoints with absolute respect and that you'll contribute in a positive way to the intelligent discussions that take place here every day. Mostly, I give you this freedom in order to empower you with a voice that you may have never had in respect to surveying. It is our hope that you will use this voice to help us create a better, more transparent future in the land surveying industry.

I give you the benefit of the doubt, because I trust you, so all that I ask is for you to honor that trust and promise to become a good contributor.

Good Contributions

When the level of discourse here is high, conversations are typified by good contributions from a variety of viewpoints and experiences, locations and surveying backgrounds. Please be respectful of others, bring your experiences and share them with everyone. If you make a statement of fact, show supporting evidence (hopefully as hyperlinks to other web resources). When everyone brings intelligent, thoughtful commentary to a thread, Land Surveyors United is the best it can possibly be. If you have a unique perspective on a topic, by all means contribute. If you'd like to express an opposing viewpoint in a respectful way, by all means contribute. If you'd like to add supporting facts and statistics or stories from others you've found elsewhere on the web, by all means contribute. When you add content to the network such as photos and videos, please remember that not all members are here to share, but rather here looking for support related to a topic. Please remember to add a relevant TITLE, DESCRIPTION and SUBJECT TAGS to all content uploaded to the network so that other members may find them.

If you upload photos and videos to Land Surveyors United, it becomes the right of the administrators and moderators of the network to modify, edit or re-appropriate the TITLE, TAGS, LOCATION and Description of said media in order to best serve the needs of the network. If you upload media and leave the titles and descriptions blank or inappropriate, then those titles tags and descriptions will be renamed by our administrators to anything we see fit. So please always remember to add the proper attributes to anything you share on the network.

One of the things that makes Land Surveyors United valuable to its members is the contributions of the community. This means that a comment is appreciated for the value that it adds to the discussion. With many topics, members go into a conversation already having a general idea of how they feel about the subject. The most valuable posts present new information, new perspectives, and new ideas that challenge each of us to consider not justwhatwe believe, butwhywe believe it.

Legal Notices: All intellectual property and trademarks mentioned within this site are copyright of the respective creators and trademark owners. Land Surveyors United is not directly affiliated with any brands or manufacturers mentioned within this site. Please respect the copyrights of these manufacturers and service providers by citing origins of such content.

Disclaimer

Copyright / Permission to Reproduce

Materials on this web site were produced and/or compiled by Land Surveyors United for the purpose of providing land surveyors and surveying students with direct access to information about the programs and services offered by Land Surveyors United.

Land Surveyors United does not assume any liability deemed to have been caused directly or indirectly by any content on its web site.

For the purpose of this document, web site refers to all information identified with a domain address terminated by landsurveyorsunited.com or clearly identified by the signature (insignia or logo) of Land Surveyors United.

The material on this site is covered by the provisions of the Copyright Act, by United States of America laws, policies, regulations and international agreements. Such provisions serve to identify the information source and, in specific instances, to prohibit reproduction of materials without written permission.

Third-party Materials

Some of the materials and graphical elements found on Land Surveyors United web sites are subject to copyrights held by other organizations. This is particularly true of sites that are jointly operated by Land Surveyors United and an external organization as part of a collaborative arrangement. In such cases, some restrictions on the reproduction of materials or graphical elements may apply and it may be necessary to seek permission from the rights holder prior to reproducing the material.

The content originator should ensure that third parties have given their written permission to allow users to reproduce their information as it appears on the Land Surveyors United web site.

Information that is not covered under this copyright claim may appear on this web site for convenience. However, it will be clearly identified as such. Inclusion of third party information, products or tools on this web site does not imply advertisement or endorsement by Land Surveyors United.

Use of Photos and Imagery on Land Surveyors United

All images text and videos on Land Surveyors United as well as theapi.ning.comcdn are copyrighted.

All images, text and videos displayed on Land Surveyors United, its subdomains and content delivery networks (cdn likeapi.ning.com) are copyrighted. The copyright agreement is as follows:

1: Professional photographers who first copyright their photos then upload to Land Surveyors United retain full copyright rights, in the case of infringement Land Surveyors United may act as a mediator in the dispute resolution process. Photos not watermarked but uploaded to Land Surveyors United become the property of the community and can be used to promote Land Surveyors United online and elsewhere.

2: Non copyrighted materials when uploaded or added via blog posts forum discussions or any other content creation process shall be considered dual copyrighted with an implied 50/50 ownership agreement between the uploader or content creator and Land Surveyors United.use of copyrighted materials:Any copyrighted materials from Land Surveyors United may be used for non commercial purposes provided a link to its original location is provided. In order to do so, you must first submit a request to landsurveyorsunited@gmail.com for permission.Special use rules may apply, in the case of humor sites that wish to use the materials in a mocking or insulting way permission must be obtained 1st.commercial use:For commercial use, permission is always required.commercial use includes any and all use that results in any monetary gain including from advertising on the site.To obtain permission Land Surveyors United must be contacted the content owner consulted, and any applicable fees negotiated.Since ownership of all materials on Land Surveyors United are a 50/50 ownership, the default agreement would be to split any and all obtained commercial use fees equally. however this is negotiable between Land Surveyors United and the content creator.Copyright infringementany and all infringement on the above copyright agreement will result in actions that may include:a request to remove such materials, ora request for a fee for continued use, orlegal actions and/or copyright infringement lawsuits.

Use of Cookies

Cookies are small files stored by your web browser on behalf of a web site and returned to the web site on request. Our web site utilizes cookies in our portal, myLSU, to carry data about your current session in the portal from one web page to the next. The cookies we use are set when you log on to myLSU and are erased when you log off myLSU or completely close your browser. We do not use cookies to track or collect personal information or to track the web pages you visit. If you prefer not to receive cookies, you may turn them off in your browser, or you may set your browser to ask you before accepting cookies. Some pages will not function properly if the cookies are turned off, especially in myLSU.

Non-commercial Reproduction

Information on this Web site has been posted with the intent that it be readily available for personal or public non-commercial use and may be reproduced, in part or in whole, and by any means, without charge or further permission, unless otherwise specified.

Users are required to:

Exercise due diligence in ensuring the accuracy of the materials reproduced;

Indicate both the complete title of the materials reproduced, as well as the author organization; and

Indicate that the reproduction is a copy of an official work that is published by Land Surveyors United and that the reproduction has not been produced in affiliation with, or with the endorsement of Land Surveyors United.

Unless otherwise specified, this authorization is also applicable to all published information regardless of its format.

Commercial Reproduction

Reproduction of multiple copies of materials on this site, in whole or in part, for the purposes of commercial redistribution is prohibited except with written permission from the Land Surveyors United's copyright administrator, Public Works and Government Services. Through the permission granting process, helps ensure individuals/organizations to reproduce materials for commercial purposes have access to the most accurate, up-to-date versions.

This site is free from external advertising or corporate sponsorship aside from promotions of goods and services offered by its members. Those who advertise and promote on Land Surveyors United must consult with the webmaster prior to the creation, placement or promotion of their good and services. This site is intended to be an educational and not-for-profit support website providing useful information for professional land surveyors around the world. It is not "for the purpose of trade, to induce the sale of any goods or services, or to promote any theatrical exhibition, athletic performance, or competition." (36 USC 380)

The webmaster will fully cooperate with the USOC if it is believed that sections of the site are in violation of 36 USC 380. All copyrights, logos and graphics are the property of the respective owners. All content placed on this website is provided merely for purposes of technical support and for educational purposes.

The use of any and all copyrighted works in the creation of this site is, in the Webmaster's opinion, protected by 17 USC 107 (see below). If the owner of a copyrighted work used in the creation of this site believes that 17 USC 107 does not apply to the use of their work, the site's creator will cooperate to the fullest extent possible.

The following is United States Code 17, Statute 107, which outlines the limitations of copyright.

¤107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair Use

Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phono records or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright. In determining whether the use made of a work in any particular case is a fair use the factors to be considered shall include -

the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes;

the nature of the copyrighted work;

the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and

the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

The fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors.

(1988 ed. and Supp. IV)

International Users

The Land Surveyors United Platform is hosted by Ning Interactive, in the United States. If you use the Land Surveyors United Platform from the European Union, or any other region with laws governing data collection and use that may differ from U.S. law, please note that you are transferring your personal data to the United States. The United States does not have the same data protection laws as the European Union and other regions. By providing Personal Information under this Privacy Policy, you consent to the use of Personal Information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and the transfer of your Personal Information to the United States.

Data Privacy Addendum

Land Surveyors United does not store or utilize any user's IP address for any reason in the public.

Members who provide locations inside profile questions for member map are used for relational purposes and are not in any way exact representations of physical locations. All location data is and should be considered approximate.

Links to Web sites not under the control of the Land Surveyors United (LSU) are provided solely for the convenience of users. LSU is not responsible for the accuracy, currency or the reliability of the content. LSU does not offer any guarantee in that regard and is not responsible for the information found through these links, nor does it endorse the sites and their content.

The following Terms of Service apply to your use of this Network. You are solely responsible for your conduct and your content on the Network and compliance with these terms. By registering with us or using or browsing this Network, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these terms. This Network is not intended for children younger than 16 and is offered only to users 16 years of age or older. If you are under 16 years old, please do not use this network unless you have received a written permission (consent) from a parent or legal guardian.

You may use this Network provided that you have the power to enter a binding contract with us and are not barred from doing so under any applicable law of your country.

You agree that you will not post, email or make available any content or use this Network:

In a manner that infringes, violates or misappropriates any third party's intellectual property rights or other proprietary rights or contractual rights;

in a manner that contains software viruses or any other computer code, files or programs designed to interrupt, destroy or limit the functionality of any computer software or hardware or telecommunications equipment;

to engage in spamming, "chain letters," "pyramid schemes", advertisement of illegal or controlled products or services, or other advertising or marketing activities that violate these Terms of Service, any applicable laws, regulations or generally-accepted advertising industry guidelines;

in a manner that is misleading, deceptive or fraudulent or otherwise illegal or promotes illegal activities, including engaging in phishing or otherwise obtaining financial or other personal information in a misleading manner or for fraudulent or misleading purposes;

in a manner that is libelous or defamatory, or in a way that is otherwise threatening, abusive, violent, harassing, malicious or harmful to any person or entity, or invasive of another's privacy;

in a manner that is harmful to minors in any way;

in a manner that is hateful or discriminatory based on race, color, sex, religion, nationality, ethnic or national origin, marital status, disability, sexual orientation or age or is otherwise objectionable;

to impersonate any other person, or falsely state or otherwise misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity, or to obtain access to this Network without authorization;

to interfere or attempt to interfere with the proper working of this Network or prevent others from using this Network, or in a manner that disrupts the normal flow of dialogue with an excessive number of messages (flooding attack) to this Network, or that otherwise negatively affects other persons' ability to use this Network;

to use any manual or automated means, including agents, robots, scripts, or spiders, to access or manage any user's account or to monitor or copy this Network or the content contained therein;

to facilitate the unlawful distribution of copyrighted content;

in a manner that includes personal or identifying information about another person without that person's explicit consent;

in a manner that employs misleading email or IP addresses, or forged headers or otherwise manipulated identifiers in order to disguise the origin of content transmitted through this Network or to users; and

in a manner that constitutes or contains any form of advertising or solicitation if emailed to users who have requested not to be contacted about other services, products or commercial interests.

Additionally, you agree not to:

"Stalk" or otherwise harass anyone;

Collect, use or disclose data, including personal information, about other users without their consent or for unlawful purposes or in violation of applicable law or regulations;

Request, solicit or otherwise obtain access to usernames, passwords or other authentication credentials from any member of this Network or to proxy authentication credentials for any member of this Network for the purposes of automating logins to this Network;

Post any content containing child pornography to this Network;

Post any content that depicts or contains rape, extreme violence, murder, bestiality, incest, or other similar content;

Post any content that constitutes pornography, contains nudity, or is adult in nature.

Use automated means, including spiders, robots, crawlers, data mining tools, or the like to download data from this Network - except for Internet search engines (e.g. Google) and non-commercial public archives (e.g. archive.org) that comply with our robots.txt file, or "well-behaved" web services/RSS/Atom clients. We reserve the right to define what we mean by "well-behaved";

Post irrelevant content, repeatedly post the same or similar content or otherwise impose an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on the Network's infrastructure;

Attempt to gain unauthorized access to our computer systems or engage in any activity that disrupts, diminishes the quality of, interferes with the performance of, or impairs the functionality of, this Network;

Use this Network as a generic file hosting service;

Take any action that may undermine the feedback or ratings systems (such as displaying, importing or exporting feedback information off of this Network or for using it for purposes unrelated to this Network); and

Develop, invoke, or utilize any code to disrupt, diminish the quality of, interfere with the performance of, or impair the functionality of this Network.

You agree not to authorize or encourage any third party to use this Network to facilitate any of the foregoing prohibited conduct. You also agree that these Network Terms of Service inure to the benefit of our service providers (including our Network platform provider) and that they may take action (including the removal of your content and disabling of your account) in order to maintain compliance with these Network Terms of Service. Technology and hosting for aspects of this Network are provided by this Network's online service provider. However, the Network Creator of this Network controls the content, membership and policy of this Network, including those pages served by such service provider on behalf of this Network.

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